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Elephant Canyon Formation
Stratigraphic range: Permian
Type Formation
Unit of Cutler Group [1]
Underlies Cedar Mesa Sandstone [2]
OverliesUnconformity on the Pennsylvanian Honaker Trail Formation [2]
Lithology
PrimarySandstone
OtherLimestone, siltstone, shale [2]
Location
Region Utah: Paradox basin [1]
Country United States
Type section
Named forType section: Elephant Canyon, secs. 4 and 9, T. 30 S., R. 19 E., San Juan County, Utah [1]
Named byBaars, D. L., 1962 [1]

The Elephant Canyon Formation is the basal Permian geologic formation of the Cutler Group overlying an unconformity on the Pennsylvanian Honaker Trail Formation in the Paradox Basin of southern Utah. [1] [2]

Description

It consists of pink dolomite, light-gray dolomitic sandstone, light-brown and moderate-red, fine-grained sandstone, a basal conglomerate and conglomeratic sandstone, and limestone. The basal conglomerate is composed of moderately sorted cherts up to 3 cm in diameter. It weathers to a medium brown and forms hackly, blocky ledges and intervening slopes. [3]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Elephant Canyon of Cutler Group, USGS
  2. ^ a b c d Rock Sequence of the Canyonlands Area
  3. ^ Doelling, H.H., Kuehne, P.A., Willis, G.C. and Ehler, J.B., 2015. Geologic map of the San Rafael Desert 30'x 60'quadrangle, Emery and Grand Counties, Utah. Utah Geological Survey. Map 267DM, https://ugspub.nr.utah.gov/publications/geologicmaps/30x60quadrangles/m-267.pdf
  • Various Contributors to the Paleobiology Database. "Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database". Retrieved 17 December 2021.